The Prince of Cambridge entered the world with a bang — 103 bangs, to be exact! In London on the afternoon of Tuesday, July 23, cannons were fired across the city in honor of Kate Middleton and Prince William‘s firstborn son, who entered the world at 4:24 p.m. at St. Mary’s Hospital (in the posh Lindo Wing) on Monday.
In a longstanding royal tradition, 62 shots were fired from the Tower of London, and 41 shots were fired from Green Park, with soldiers in traditional garb saluting and administering the rounds. The Union Jack flag will also be flown from government buildings across Britain.
The Duke and Duchess, both 31, went slightly off script for another tradition that accompanies the birth of a royal baby: They announced their son’s birth via press release and tweeted announcements which, for the first time, preceded the placement of a framed announcement on a gold easel within the gates at Buckingham Palace. The new parents also waited a few hours to announce their sons birth in order to first inform family members and spend some alone time with the baby.
Prince William personally called grandmother Queen Elizabeth, father Prince Charles and brother Prince Harry with the news.
“We could not be happier,” he gushed in a brief statement.
